


This Is The End

by Fledhyris



Series: End Times [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Ending, Apocalypse Prevented, But the world is saved, Everybody Dies, Gen, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-22 15:54:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22118428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fledhyris/pseuds/Fledhyris
Summary: Originally posted on LJ as 'And So It Ends' on 19/04/09, when the latest episode to have aired was 4:18 'The Monster at the End of this Book'.So apparently, I predicted Ruby’s betrayal and Lilith’s master plan - go me! - and wrote this rather bleak suggestion of how the series could end. Which turned out to be at least less heart rending than the way Kripke wanted to end it in s5 (with both brothers in the Pit) but couldn’t because J2 were signed on for further episodes. All I can say is thank goodness for contractual obligations! But now we’re in a similar position with s15 - not to mention the worrying international news beginning the new decade irl - so this ficlet, while very old and already 'Jossed', has a new poignancy. What better time to share? Peace and good luck to us all.~Retitled for 'The End' by The Doors~This is the end, beautiful friendThis is the end, my only friend, the endOf our elaborate plans, the endOf everything that stands, the endNo safety or surprise, the endI'll never look into your eyes, again
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Series: End Times [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592140
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	This Is The End

They are bleeding, dying, life leaking away drip by precious drop, and the roaring in his ears is a jumble. Jerky, shallow heartbeat, the blood hissing through his veins like sand in a timer; Sam’s laboured breath at his ear, hitching with shared pain; the low, animal hunger of the demon horde milling around outside, penning them in like a thunderstorm.

And She paces, eyes white as bone, a grin splitting her face into a death mask. He’s this close to crossing over he can actually see it, the demon features superimposed on her human host like a bad special effect. And he wonders why she doesn’t strike, just get it over with, or at least taunt them; _something._ His eyes flash again, involuntarily, to the crumpled body on the concrete, the sooty stretch of shadow marking burned-out wings; but Castiel won’t be helping them again. She’s killed the angel, she’s almost killed them, so why is she waiting?

And Sam stirs beside him, raising a faltering hand, his brows knitting in concentration as Dean stares into his brother’s pale face; and Lilith stops her pacing and stares back hungrily, as though eager for her own death...

And Dean remembers, a dozen little observations that pierce his pain-fogged mind like lightning, the sparks flaring, meeting, joining together into the light of revelation, and he _knows._

His father, whispering in his ear, moments before death: “Don’t let him become that, Dean; kill him, if you have to, but don’t let my Sammy, my little boy, turn evil.”

Ruby, so intent, so desperate to help Sam, both of them focused on destroying Lilith until it seems like the bigger picture just doesn’t matter, like the end of this one demon-bitch is the consuming goal of Sam’s hatred. And where is she now, little miss helpful, in this final battle..? Slunk off before the fighting started, nowhere to be seen, not like poor, faithful Cas.

Lilith herself, coming to Sam in that prophetically fated motel room, all coy smiles and promises of deals; and he should have known that Sam would never sleep with her, and she should have known it too, with the knife too easy to Sam’s hand, and Lilith spread out under him, inviting her own death; and her words to him, “I found out I won’t survive this.” Sometimes demons don’t even need to lie, if they just leave out enough of the truth.

And the angels’ prophecy, condemning Dean, exalting him: the Righteous Man shall begin it, and the Righteous Man shall end it. “Don’t let him, don’t let him, don’t let him…” ringing in Dean’s ears from a chorus of voices. Dad, Bobby, Castiel, Pamela; all so sure, so afraid of what will happen when Sam uses his powers.

Sixty five seals have been broken, and they came here to save the last. Only they had no idea what they were meant to save, running in without a plan, a pitched battle against all Lilith’s forces; and now she has them beaten, cornered, and it would be so easy for her to strike. But instead she’s holding back as though waiting; waiting for Sam…

And Dean understands, finally, that this is it; this is the last seal, the final sacrifice. Sam kills Lilith, Lucifer’s right-hand demon, everything that Azazel and Ruby and Lilith herself have been working towards. Training him, motivating him, baiting and wheedling and coaching Sam to develop his powers, so that he will be strong enough to do what they want.

Sam kills Lilith, Lucifer rises, the world ends. Only Dean has to stop it, is the only one who can stop it; and now he understands why. Fucking angels and their _fucking_ prophecies.

And he knows they’re going to die, but maybe, just maybe, if Sam will listen to him for just this once, maybe he won’t actually have to kill Sam himself. Lilith can do that, if they don’t just bleed to death here in this cold, concrete shell of a building, hopelessly alone.

So he takes Sam’s hand, wraps his own around his brother’s and squeezes, pushing their fingers together, balling Sam’s fist within his own; and he holds Sam’s gaze, startled and wary and confused.

“It’s the end of the line, Sam,” he whispers, a crooked grin slipping across his teeth like a snarl of defiance. “Remember when I told you, hunters don’t ever grow old? We die bloody, or we die sad? Well it’s our time to die, Sam. We die and we save the world. You and me, together, right to the end.”

“What?” Sam is struggling, pushing at Dean’s grasp, and physically he’s weak, shock and loss of blood, but Dean can feel the power stirring inside Sam. He’s so close and he knows now, can sense the build-up of energies like a static charge, and he’s seen what Sam is capable of when he’s hurt and frightened - especially when frightened for Dean.

“Don’t you see, Sam?” He has to fight to maintain his grip, weak as his brother is, because Dean’s in no great shape himself and there are black spots dancing in front of his eyes, but he blinks fiercely to keep his gaze locked with Sam’s.

“Don’t you see..? She _wants_ you to kill her. That’s what all this is about, what it’s always been about. They used us, both of us, our whole family. Me to start it, breaking the first seal; you for the last one. She’s the seal, Sam, Lilith is the final sacrifice. You kill her, you’re the only one who can kill her, and you let Him loose. Look at her Sam, look how she’s waiting, and she knows she won’t live past this, she told you that herself. What’s stopping her, now, why doesn’t she just step in and kill us right here?”

Sam stares, jaw slack, shock and confusion clouding his eyes along with the pain, but Dean feels the stirring forces inside Sam ebb a little, and he forges on.

“All we have to do is let it go, Sam,” he says, then closes his eyes, spasming around a wrack of pain. He coughs, blood speckling his lips, but he fights it, because whatever happens, he’s not going to die now and leave his little brother to finish this on his own.

“Just… do nothing, leave her be, then the last seal is safe and we save the world.” He starts to laugh, it’s so absurdly simple, so Zen, and pain clutches his chest like fingers of fire and ice so that he has to stop. He grips Sam’s hand tight as he rides out the agony; which after all is nothing, compared to what he suffered in Hell.

“Dean, she- she’s the enemy, she’s their leader, head of the snake; none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for her. She’s Lucifer’s High Priestess, we have to stop her. It’s what we’ve been working for all this-"

Dean cuts him off with a wheeze that was meant to be a snarl, but he’s losing ground fast.

“What you’ve been working for, Sam,” he grates out, voice a ragged whisper so that Sam has to lean right in to hear him, pressing their faces close enough to kiss; and that’s an odd thought to have, Dean muses, somewhere in the back of his mind where he’s not dealing with pain and revelations and the knowledge that whichever way this turns out, it’s not going to be good. Not for them, even if the rest of the world comes out okay.

“Remember what… the angels said… it’s not you who stops the Apocalypse, Sam. So killing Lilith… s’not the way. You have to… trust me, Sam; have to… let this one… go. So like Dad… revenge… makes you burn brighter, a weapon… they can use. I just want… it to stop, Sam. Want us… to stop. Let us… die… together…”

His vision is greying out, his pain swelling and then receding under a numbing sheet of ice, and his tongue feels huge and clammy inside his mouth. He feels his grasp on Sam’s fist start to slip but he can’t seem to make his fingers obey him…

And then Sam is there, leaning over him, patting his face, frantic, but whatever he’s saying – shouting – is just a hollow peal of noise, as though Dean is hearing echoes from some place deep underground; and with his last remaining strength, he whispers,

“Stop… for me, Sammy… please…”

And he feels wetness on his face, and a warm pressure against his chest that hampers his laboured breathing, but he doesn’t care; and air slides past his ear in a ghostly whisper that seems to say ‘It’s okay, Dean, everything’s gonna be okay…’

And somewhere outside there’s a distant howling, as though all the rage of the universe has been unleashed.


End file.
